Quest: Queen's Honor, Tales of Lady Guinevere, #2

By Mande Matthews

In QUEST, BOOK 2 of QUEEN'S HONOR: After agreeing to marry Arthur, Guinevere thinks she's solved all her problems—the protection of Camelaird, the freedom of her cousin, and the power to make a difference. But when she finds herself unable to control her attraction to Lancelot, a chance encounter with the knight threatens to ruin everything she's strived to achieve.

To complicate matters, when she arrives in Camelot, she realizes she's caught in an intricate web of magic and ulterior motivations. She possesses more than just a crown. And it seems everyone is willing to use her as their pawn to manipulate circumstances. Will she be able to tap into to the power inside of her and stay true to her heart?

 

This beautifully written, Arthurian Saga retelling with a twist continues… An enchanting coming-of-age fantasy with plenty of Celtic magic, romance, intrigue, and more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mande Matthews
• Release date: Dec 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519908698

Mande Matthews

Mande Matthews is a #1 international bestselling author of fantasy fiction and an award-winning artist. She read her gateway fantasy novel, The Sword of Shannara, at thirteen and has since been hooked on all things magical, birthing her life-long quest to create enchanted worlds with both words and images.  Mande lives in the realms of imagination where she occasionally surfaces to face the real world aided by her minions: a husband who plays the dog drum (the belly of their border collie), and a menagerie of furred, feathered and mostly magical friends.

Book preview

QUEEN'S HONOR

Tales of Lady Guinevere

Episode 2: Quest

By

Mande Matthews

PUBLISHED BY:

Queens Honor: Episode 2 - Quest

Copyright 2012 by Mande Matthews

CREDITS:

Art: AM Design Studios

Copy Editing: Ann Mauren, AMDesign Studios

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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Dedication

In memory of my beloved Kasie,

Because true love comes in unexpected forms.

QUEEN'S HONOR

Tales of Lady Guinevere

Book II: Quest

A Note

There were times when I thought the beliefs of the old ones and those of the followers of Jesu were in conflict. But when I learned to look beyond the limitations of my reason, I realized it was only the details of the matter that were in conflict, not the spirit of the matter, which has always possessed the true nature of love.

- Guinevere, Queen of Camelot

The 11th day of November in the year of our Lord 536

Written from the abbey at Amesbury

Chapter 1

- The 19th day of May in the year of our Lord 533

CAN YOU SEE HIM, GUINEVERE?

I stiffened at the hushed tone of my mother's voice. Morning dew wore through my slippers, numbing my toes. Mother had not taken time to put on my leather overshoes when she dragged me from my bed, threw on my clothes, and rushed me to the meadow before dawn so Father would not notice our departure.

Though I followed the line of her finger as she pointed toward the hillside, nothing came into view. A gray mist clung to the fields.

No, Mamma, I cannot.

Mother's tresses dangled around her ermine-lined mantle as she knelt next to me, her skirts soiling in the moist grass as she slunk down to my height. I took comfort in the fact that the strands of her hair matched my own in color—brown, like the lighter shades of bark.

Close your eyes little one, and think of nothing.

But—

Quiet, child, and count to ten. Then open your eyes and tell me what you see.

I obeyed, counting to myself. When I reached ten, I opened my eyes and focused on the hillside. Oh! A squeal escaped me. I see him!

An enormous white hart emerged from the haze. He lifted his head and turned toward us. His antlers razed the sky like a storm of tree branches, a dark tangle against the mist. A snort blew from his nostrils sending a puff of white to mingle with the cool morning air. His muscles rippled underneath his hide.

Sometimes you can see beyond your normal vision into the Otherworld, and other times, into the hearts of men. But most importantly, you must learn to see into the corners of your own soul.

I didn’t know what Mamma meant, but I quivered, mesmerized by the majesty of the creature as if a fey had captured me. My childish mind scrambled with sightings of deer all red or tawny, never shimmering like beads of fresh snow.

Why is his fur white, Mamma?

Do you know who he is, Guinevere? Her tone remained hushed and reminded me to lower mine as well.

I shook my head.

The old ones called him the Lord of the Wild Things, and the new God heralds him the messenger of peace. It does not matter what he is called. What matters is we understand his essence. That he is immortal. He is goodness and light. When he appears, he reminds you a challenge is at hand, and to overcome the ordeal, you must stay pure of heart.

I thought for a moment, furrowing my brow. Why would he remind us of such a thing, Mamma? Are our hearts bad?

A knowingness flicked in her blue-gray eyes. She placed her hand over my heart and smiled, a sad but tender turn of her lips. The white hart pawed the ground behind us, then jolted, springing over the meadow. He vanished into the mist. Mother lifted her gaze to meet my own.

Elibel interrupted my mother’s reply with a sharp nudge of her elbow into my ribs, jarring me out of the long-ago memory.

You gawk, My Lady, scolded Elibel.

I do not—

You might as well drool, My Lady.

Then I understood: while the recollection had filled my mind, my gaze had wandered across the crowd to stare at one man. Not my soon-to-be husband, but Sir Lancelot.

Chapter 2

THE KNIGHT IGNORED me, or perhaps he did not notice I ogled him. Instead, Lancelot watched King Arthur with all the intensity of a gargoyle while we congregated near the door to Camelaird's granary at my father's request.

Straighten up and act your part, my Lady.

I turned toward Elibel as she scolded me, breaking my line of sight to the knight.

The largeness of my cousin's eyes narrowed into slits as she whispered, I fear you will make an ill-suited queen if you can't restrain yourself and show a little decorum.

My fingers continued to trace the triquetra, circling each loop of the charm as it hung around my neck. I am sorry, Elibel. I didn't mean to stare. I was thinking about Father—

About how he’d flay you like a disobedient hound if he caught you salivating over a man who is not your betrothed?

"No.